Balor (left) and “the bloody maggot” Crom Cruach (right) as depicted by Simon “The Biz” Bisley in Pat Mills’ Slaine: The Horned God – which won them this special mention (fair use)

(16) BALOR & CROM CRUACH

Balor…of the evil eye!

Balor represents the Fomorians in my special mentions – “a group of malevolent supernatural beings”, essentially the equivalent of demons in Irish mythology. Balor was their leader and “considered the most formidable” of them – “a giant with a large eye that wreaks destruction when opened”.

He’s killed in battle by the god (or demi-god or divine hero) Lugh of the Tuatha De Danaan – and “has been interpreted as a personification of the scorching sun”.

Interestingly, Dungeons and Dragons adapted his name for their in-game demon version of the Balrog to avoid copyright.

Crom Cruach “was a pagan god of pre-Christian legend” – “he was propitiated with human sacrifice and his worship was ended by Saint Patrick”.

Apart from the adaption of Crom’s name as that of Conan’s deity, they earn special mention for their adaptation as eldritch abominations by Pat Mills as the antagonists of the titular hero in his Slaine comic.

RATING:

B-TIER (HIGH TIER)